Short answer: cork acoustic panels improve how a room sounds by adding a soft, porous surface that absorbs part of the sound reflecting from hard walls. They are a tool for acoustic comfort, with less echo and clearer speech, not a soundproofing system that stops sound reaching the next room. CorkMart offers 10 mm Acoustic wall tiles, BitCork Home panels of 500 × 1000 mm in 6–15 mm, and expanded cork board, for which a 50 mm board has a declared sound absorption coefficient of about 0.40 at 500 Hz.
Sound absorption is not sound insulation
- Sound absorption (room acoustics): reduces echo and reverberation inside the room, so voices and music sound clearer. Surface finishes such as cork panels contribute to this.
- Sound insulation: stops sound passing between rooms. It depends on the whole construction: mass, airtightness and separated layers. For example, in laboratory testing an 11 cm double masonry wall with 40 mm of expanded cork board in the cavity reached Rw = 53 dB. Panels fixed to the surface of a wall cannot achieve this on their own.
CorkMart acoustic products compared
| Product | Thickness | Format | Supply | Sound absorption value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Natural wall tile | 10 mm | 600 × 300 mm (0.18 m²) and 300 × 300 mm (0.09 m²) | Packs up to a full box of 30 (5.4 m²); wax finish | Not stated; request test data for performance-led projects |
| BitCork Home panel | 6, 8, 10, 12, 13 or 15 mm | 500 × 1000 mm (0.5 m²) | Per panel | Not stated; request test data for performance-led projects |
| Expanded cork board (ICB) | 10–150 mm | 1000 × 500 mm (0.5 m²) | Single boards or packs of 5, 10 and 25 m² | About 0.40 at 500 Hz for a 50 mm board (declared) |
For projects with a defined acoustic target, ask for product-specific test data and have the room assessed as a whole.
Where to place cork panels
- Parallel bare walls: treating one of two facing hard walls helps reduce flutter echo.
- Reflection points: the side walls beside a desk, mixing position or sofa are where the first reflections arrive.
- Behind the speaker: in meeting rooms and video-call spaces, the wall behind the person speaking and the wall opposite matter most.
- Spread the treatment: several areas of panels around the room usually work better than one large block on a single wall.
Studios, offices and homes
Studios: cork panels help control reflections and add a calm, natural finish for podcasts, music rooms and video spaces. Technical studios usually combine them with other treatment and with sound insulation in the construction.
Offices: in meeting rooms and open spaces, panels can make conversations clearer and reduce the hard, echoing character of glass, concrete and plasterboard.
Homes: living rooms, home offices and bedrooms gain warmth and texture as well as a softer acoustic feel.
How much do you need?
Decide which wall areas to treat, add about 10% for cuts, and divide by the area of one tile or panel. Example: a 2.4 × 3 m wall area (7.2 m²) plus 10% is 7.92 m². That is 44 Acoustic Natural tiles of 600 × 300 mm, for instance one full box of 30 plus one pack of 15, or 16 BitCork Home panels of 0.5 m².
Installation
Fix to a clean, dry, flat and sound interior wall with an adhesive compatible with cork and with the wall, following its manufacturer’s instructions. Adhesive is not included. Plan the layout with the actual pieces before fixing, as cork varies naturally in tone and texture.
Frequently asked questions
Do cork panels soundproof a room?
No. They reduce echo inside the room; stopping sound between rooms depends on the building construction.
Are 10 mm Acoustic tiles different from 3 mm decorative tiles?
Yes. The Acoustic range is 10 mm thick with a stronger texture; the decorative range is a 3 mm finish. Allow for the thickness at edges and junctions.
Do CorkMart’s acoustic products have test values?
A declared sound absorption coefficient of about 0.40 at 500 Hz is available for 50 mm expanded cork board. For the Acoustic tiles and BitCork Home panels, request product-specific data if your project needs it.
Where should I start?
Start with the hard wall facing or beside the main listening or speaking position, then add more areas if the room still sounds too live.
Browse Acoustic Natural wall tiles, BitCork Home panels, Expanded Cork Insulation Board or the full Cork Acoustic Panels collection. For decorative walls, see the cork wall tiles guide. For project quantities, send your room dimensions through Request a Quote.
